Internal-combustion engine.



No. 784,949. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. H. J. LEIGHTON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1902.

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PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

HQ J. LEIGHTON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 20. 1902.

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INVENTOR ATTORNEYS LWITNESSESI:

UNITED STATES.

Patented March 14, 1905.

HERBERT J. LEIGHTON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,949, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed January 20, 1902. Serial No. 90,370.

To all whom, it ntrty concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT J. LEIGHTON, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Internal-Combustion Engine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the production of an internal-combustion engine which is particularly simple in construction and practical and eflicient in use; and to this end it consists in the devices and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a preferable construction of my engine, the details not pertaining to the present invention being omitted. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of said engine, no waterjackets and piston-rings being shown. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one construction of the means for forcing from its normal position the valve controlling the entrance of the charge.

In internal combustion engines as ordinarily constructed maximum power is obtained by igniting the charge in the cylinder before or substantially at the time the piston reaches the limit of its advancing or compressing stroke and minimum power is obtained by igniting the charge in the cylinder during the return of the piston after the compression of said charge. By delaying the ignition of the charge until after the piston is returning more or less of the gases are unconsumed when a fresh charge is admitted and the incomingexplosive fluid is prematurely ignited in the inlet-port and the crankcase, which premature ignition is a feature of great disadvantage to a two-cycle internalcombustion engine and does not ordinarily take place when the ignition of the charge is not delayed.

My invention contemplates the employment of means for effecting ignition of the charge substantially synchronously with the end of the compression-stroke of the piston or for delaying the ignition during a given stroke of the piston, as before described, until after the piston is well on its return stroke following the compression-stroke thereof to reduce the power or force of the explosion; but it aims to avoid the usual objectionable features incidental to a delayed ignition by also delaying the entrance of the fresh charge into the cylinder, and thus affords a maximum time for the combustion and cooling of the gases and the escape thereof before the entrance of the fresh gases. Hereinafter the first condition that is, when the sparking occurs substantially synchronously with the completion of the compression-stroke of the piston-may be referred to as regular sparking, while the second condition referred to, in which the sparking occurs after the piston is well on its return stroke following the compressionstroke, may be referred to as delayed sparking A is a cylinder; B, a piston movable in the cylinder and provided withashield 7); C D,inlet and exhaust ports for the cylinder; E, a valve for controlling the passage of the explosive fluid from the inlet-port G into the cylinder A; F, ignition-controlling. mechanism, and Gr means for setting the ignition controlling mechanism to vary the time of the production of the igniting-sparks relatively to the operation of the piston. Said cylinder A, piston B, and inlet and exhaust ports are of any desirable form, size, and construction, the ports G D being preferably opened and closed by the piston B in its movement in the cylinder and communicating with the cylinder at a point in close proximity to the piston when in its position assumed during the entrance of the explosive fluid and the advance side of the inlet-port being usually nearer the piston when in said position' than the corresponding side of the exhaust-port in order that during the movement of the parts indicated by the dotted lines 1 2 3 4 the gases may escape through the port 1) before the entrance of a fresh charge through the port (J. Said advance sides of the inlet and exhaust ports may, however, be substantially equidistant from the piston when in its position assumed during the entrance of the explosive fluid, providing the valve E is also operated when the ignition of the charge within the cylinder is not delayed. The valve E is also of any desirable form, size, and construction, being here shown as provided with a stem 0 and as mechanically actuated. In

the illustrated preferable embodiment of my invention the valve E is normally held in its l a pinion g, fixed to the main shaft G, a pinposition assumed during the entrance of the explosive fluid within the cylinder by a suitable spring a and is forced from said position into its operative position for preventing the entrance of said fluid within the cylinder by a lever 0 which is here shown as provided with a yielding end engaged with the stem (2 and as actuated by a cam 0 mounted on a moving part of the engine, as the shaft e", for actuating the ignition-controlling mechanism of the engine. It will be obvious, however, to those skilled in the art that the spring a may be arranged to close the valve E instead of to open the same and that the cam may then operate to open said valve against the action of said spring. The cam e is movable lengthwise of the shaft 0 out of line with the lever 11 in order that when desired the shaft 0" may revolve without effecting operation of the valveE. have here shown a lover a as connected to the cam a for moving the same lengthwise of the shaft 6; but it will be understood that any other suitable means may be used for this purpose. Said cam c is preferably so formed that when in operation it holds the valve E in its operative position and prevents the entrancewithin the cylinder A of the incoming explosive fluid for a predetermined time after the passage of the piston beyond the advance sides of the inlet and exhaust ports C .L) and after said charge would be admitted into the cylinder if the ignition of the charges in the cylinder were not delayed, thus affording a maximum time for the combustion, escape,

and consequent cooling of the gases before.

the entrance of a fresh charge, reducing to a minimum the liability of the ignition of the incoming explosive fluid and eflecting more or less saving of the gases. The parts here shown and briefly described for holding the valve E in its operative and inoperative positions are particularly suitable for use with the illustrated construction of said valve; but my invention is not limited to such parts, which form only one excmplitication of suitable means for controlling the operation of said valve. My invention is also not limited to a valve E which remains inoperative when the ignition of the charge in the cylinder is not delayed.

The ignition-controlling mechanism F is of any desirable form, size, and construction, being here shown as an eccentric f, mounted on the shaft 0, a vertieally-moving arm f, and a rock-shaft f, connected to suitable means (not illustrated) for producing the ignitions, it being understood by those skilled in the art that any desirable means may be used for producing the ignitions and for connecting the shaft 0' to said means. The means G for setv ting the ignition-controlling mechanism to control the time of the ignitions with respect to the position of the piston is here shown as ion g on the shaft 6, a pair of gears g connecting the pinions g g, a movable support g" for the gears g g and a lever g connected to the support g and provided with suitable clamping means g for securing said lever to a segment g. The described mechanism for controlling the ignitions and setting said mechanism for controlling the ignitions forms the subject-matter of my pending application, Serial No. 97,253, and it will be understood that I do not limit my present invention thereto and that any other suitable mechanism may be used for this purpose.

In the operation of the illustrated preferable embodiment of my invention the valve E isheld by the spring c in its inoperative position when the ignition of the charge is not delayed and the engine is utilized to develop its maximum power, and consequently the passage of the explosive fluid from the inletport into the cylinder A is controlled by the piston B. \Vhen the ignition of the charge in the cylinder is delayed for causing the en gine to develop less power, the cam a is adjusted to its operative position and actuates the lever a to hold the valve E in its operative position until after the passage of the piston beyond the advance side of the inletport G toward its position assumed during the entrance of the explosive fluid within the cylinder, thus delaying the entrance of the explosi've fluid within the cylinder, affording a maximum time for the combustion, escape, and consequent cooling of the gases in the cylinder and preventing premature ignition of the incoming charge.

The construction and operation of my internal-combustion engine will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that more or less change may be made in the construction and arrangement of its parts without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, ignition-controlling mechanism, and means for setting the ignition-eontrolling mechanism to produce regular or delayed sparking; of means associated with said inlet-port for delaying the inlet of the combustible gases therethrough during a given stroke of the piston when said ignition-controlling mechanism is set to produce delayed sparking, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, ignition-controlling mechanism, and means for setting the ignition-con- IIO trolling mechanism to vary the time of the production ofthe igniting-sparks relatively to the operation of the piston; of means for controlling the entrance of the explosive fluid through the inlet-port, said means being inactive when the ignition-controlling mechanism is set for one operation relatively to the operation of the piston and active when the ignition-controlling mechanism is set for another operation relatively to the piston,-sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, ignition-controlling mechanism, and means for actuating said ignitioncontrolling mechanism to produce regular or delayed sparking; of a valve associated with the inletport inactive when the ignition-controlling mechanism is set for regular sparking, and means for actuating said valve when the ignition-controlling mechanism is set to produce delayed sparking, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, ignition-controlling mechanism, and means for setting said ignition-controlling mechanism to vary the time of the production of the igniting-sparks relatively to the operation of the piston; of means for controlling the inlet-port normally inactive, and means for operating said controlling means for the inletport when said ignitioncontrolling means is set to operate in a predetermined relation to the operation of the piston, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, means for opening and closing said ports, and additional means for preventing the entrance of the explosive fluid through the inlet-port in a given stroke of the piston until a predetermined period is passed after said inlet and exhaust ports have been opened by the first-mentioned means, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, a valve for controlling the passage of the explosive fluid from the inlet-port into the cylinder, and means constructed and arranged to actuate the valve when the ignition of the charges in the cylinder is delayed, to prevent the entrance of the explosive fluid into the cylinder during a given stroke of the piston until a predetermined time after said charge would be admitted into the cylinder if the ignition of the charges in the cylinder were not delayed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7 In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports opened and closed by the piston in its movement in the cylinder, and a mechanically-actuated valve constructed and arranged to prevent the entrance of the incoming explosive fluid from the inletport into the cylinder until a predetermined time after the piston has passed beyond the advance side of the inlet-port in a given stroke of the piston, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports communicating with the cylinder at a point in proximity to the piston when in its position assumed during the entrance of the explosive fluid into the cylinder, said ports being opened and closed by the piston in its movement in the cylinder, and the advance side of the inlet-port being nearer the piston when in said position than the corresponding side of the exhaust-port, and a mechanicallyactuated valve constructed and arranged to prevent the entrance of the incoming explosive fluid from the inlet-port into the cylinder until a predetermined time after the piston during a given stroke thereof has passed beyond the advance side of the inlet-port toward its position assumed during the entrance of the explosive fluid within the cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 9th day of January, 1902.

HERBER" J. LEIGHTON.

Witnesses:

S. DAVIS, D. LAVINE. 

